The Story of Us
by StrawberryCrush
Summary: The evolution of a friendship into something that neither Kacey nor Zander ever expected or understand.
1. All Stories Have To Start Somewhere

**A/N: I recently started watching How To Rock and became an instant fan of this pairing. I hope you like this story. :)**

**Dislcaimer: I don't own anything.**

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The Story of Us

The sound of her alarm clock startled Kacey awake, making her almost fall off the bed. Groaning and reaching for the snooze button she pressed it and turned back over to get in another 10 minutes of sleep when her mother burst into her room.

"Wake up, Kacey, you don't want to be late" Her mother said. She placed a pillow over her head, hoping to drown the sound of her mother's voice out.

"Come on mom just 5 more minutes," Kacey plead, her voice muffled by the mattress she was talking into.

Her mother proceeded to pull every cover that was coving Kacey off of her. "Now you have to get up and remake your bed."

"Damn it" Kasey said under her breath so her mother wouldn't hear. After her mom left the room, Kacey got up, threw her covers on her bed, and stalked off to the bathroom to start her morning routine. After finishing she went down stairs to see her brother sitting in the kitchen.

"Only you can be you, only I can be me" Kacey sang as she grabbed the orange juice from the fridge and got a glass. She heard the doorbell rang. "Kacey, Zander and Stevie are here" Her mom said as her mom came back with Zander and Stevie following behind her.

"Hey Kacey" Stevie said as she waved to her brother.

"Stevie!" Kasey said as walked back to the fridge to put the orange juice back up.

"You ready for the history quiz?" Zander asked her.

"Of course" She said and gulped down her orange juice. Honestly, she was the very opposite of ready. Instead of studying she and Cory, the boy she's been crushing on, talked on the phone and played a rousing game of "No, you hang up first" that lasted a long while.

"Wow, Kacey, thirsty much" Stevie commented on her furious drinking.

"Yeah, I was" Kacey said as she grabbed her bag and pulled Stevie and Zander out of the house without saying goodbye to her mom and brother.

"Kacey what in the world?" Zander asked her when they got outside.

"I didn't study-"

"No, really?" Stevie said, in an obviously sarcastic tone.

Kacey gave her a look. "Anyway! Come on I need as much cram time as I can get in" Zander and Stevie said nothing as the three of them climbed into Zander's car. "Wait, why are you driving Zander's car, Stevie?"

"Oh since I'm taking my driver's test this weekend, he's letting me get in a little bit of practice by driving his car" She said.

"Oh, ok" Kacey said.

"Zander, tell me about the lesson that the quiz is supposed to be over" Kacey asked during the ride.

As Zander was telling her everything he could possibly think of, Kacey was writing everything she could fit onto her arm.

Stevie was looking at her in the rear view mirror. "You don't seriously think you going to get away with writing everything on your arm do you?"

"Of course I don't" Kacey lied.

"Yeah you do" Stevie laughed.

"Oh would you just pay attention to the road" Kacey looked down at her arm to find more room. "Zander continue"

When they arrived at school Kacey kept looking at her arm reading and Zander was looking down at his book when he bumped into Molly, causing her to spill her latte all over herself. Molly screamed causing Stevie and Kacey to look up. Stevie was trying to stifle a laugh.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry Molly" Zander apologized sincerely, being the nice guy that he is.

"You imbecile, watch where you're going" Molly said.

Kacey was turning angry at the way Molly was talking to Zander, though she didn't understand why. It wasn't as if she expected anything less from the girl. She was just glad Molly walked away before she was able to jump in.

* * *

After school Kacey and Zander were sitting in Gravity 5's headquartes, waiting for Stevie, Nelson, and Kevin to join them.

"I'm going to get something to drink" Zander said. He got up from the couch and hit his leg on the table, causing Kacey to giggle, unknowingly knocking a notebook off of the table. Zander held his shin and hopped away.

Kacey reached over and picked up the notebook off of the floor. "Zander's song book" Kasey said aloud. She flipped through the book and skimmed over many of the songs. She liked all of them. She smirked at the childishness of some. _He must of wrote these when he was in middle school, _Kacey thought to herself.

She kept flipping through until one song caught her eye, titled 'We Can Be Anyting" She was reading through the song trying to figure out the melody. "Whatcha readin'?" Zander asked from behind, leaning over Kacey's shoulder, scaring her.

"When did you... oh I was just... it's um... I just happened to pick this up and..." Kacey stammered as she tried and failed to find a lie that was believable enough.

"It's ok, Kacey" Zander told her. "Which one were you looking at?"

Kacey opened the notebook again and showed him the song she was reading.

"Oh, that one" Zander said simply.

She looked down at the book "I was trying to figure out the melody but I couldn't" Kacey said softly.

Zander turned towards Kacey, sighed deeply, and started to sing.

_Every day friends & lovers grow like flowers_  
_Make mistakes and spend your hours living it down_  
_Life's a game_  
_A journey for us inside out_  
_No doubt no doubt_  
_But down the road you're bound to take a different route_  
_Where it goes nobody really knows_  
_I've found in the end it always comes back around_  
_Somehow somehow_

_I don't know why it has to be_  
_So black and white for you and me_  
_When there's a million colors in between_  
_And we could be anything_  
_The truth ain't always what it seems_  
_And right or wrong lacks depth to me_  
_Fear is our only enemy_  
_And we could be anything_

Zander stopped after that point telling Kacey that he was only going that far. Kacey took it upon herself to pick up the song, keeping Zander rhythm and matching the melody.

_I can feel the heaviness you keep by your side_  
_When it's real it feels like it has multiplied_  
_It's hard to deal without a friendly face in sight_  
_But it's all right it's all right_  
_Because to grow you've got to be alone sometimes_  
_In the cold weathering the storm inside_  
_So you know no matter what it's gonna be fine_  
_It'll be fine so fine_

_I don't know why it has to be_  
_So black and white for you and me_  
_When there's a million colors in between_  
_And we could be anything_  
_The truth ain't always what it seems_  
_And right or wrong lacks depth to me_  
_Fear is our only enemy_  
_And we could be anything_

Zander subconciously scooted over, closer to Kacey. Zander picked up on Kacey cue and decided to finish the song.

_If love is blind_  
_How can you read the signs?_  
_And I believe in time that we will see_  
_That we can be anything_  
_If the feeling's right_  
_It's not so hard to find_  
_And we can realize what's meant to be_  
_We can be anything_

_If you love someone_  
_You've got to let them go_  
_Set them free_  
_And trust that they will ebb and flow_

Kacey and Zander were really getting into the song and just letting the music flow and take over. They sang the chorus together.

_I don't know why it has to be_  
_So black and white for you and me_  
_When there's a million colors in between_  
_And we could be anything_  
_The truth ain't always what it seems_  
_And right or wrong lacks depth to me_  
_Fear is our only enemy_  
_And we could be anything_

Zander stood in front of Kacey reaching out for her hand, leading her out into the middle of the room and spun her around to where her back was turned him as he finished up the song.

_We could be we could be_  
_We could be anything_  
_We could be we could be_  
_We could be anything_  
_We could be we could be_  
_We could be anything_

Zander was holding Kacey, one hand resting on the side of her waist, the other resting on the hand he was holding, both arms engulfing her small frame. Zander didn't understand what he was feeling, he just want to let her go for some reason.

"Aw, how cute" Stevie commented causing them both to jump out of their positions. Kacey looked awkwardly at Zander, and turned to look at Stevie as she was standing at the entrance. Zander could tell by the devious smirk on Stevie's face he was not going to like what was coming next. Kevin and Nelson at Zander with a confused look on their faces.

* * *

**So that's the chapter. Hated it? Liked it? Loved it? Tolerated it? Review and tell what you think, so I'll know if I need to continue this or not.**

**~Peace, Zacey, Strawberries~**


	2. The Real Kacey Simon

**A/N: I changed a couple of things around in chapter 1, so they mtch up to where I decided the story should go. So you might want to re-read the first chapter of the story, so you won't be lost or confused.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyting but this story.**

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The Real Kacey Simon

Stevie, Nelson, and Kevin were heading down to Gravity 5 headquarters after being scolded by the principal and given detention for the next three Saturdays. Let's just say, Kevin and Nelson created a pie bomb the detonated in front of the wrong person.

"I can't believe that you got me caught up in that. And the bad part about all of this that I had absolutely nothing to do with it! All I did was try to defend you" Stevie screamed at Kevin and Nelson, who were playfully punching each other in the arm as they walked. "Guys!" She pushed both guys into each other, gaining their attention.

"How many times do we have to apologize to you?" Nelson asked.

"Yeah, we tried to tell him that you didn't have anything to do with it but, well, you saw him, he wouldn't listen. Look at it this way Stevie, detention isn't so bad" Kevin added.

"Says you, you don't have a job to go to on Saturday" Stevie had to admit that Kevin was right but she also knew that to work this Saturday and didn't want to risk getting fired, again.

"It's gonna be fine and you have to admit that prank was pretty freaking awesome" Nelson laughed about it. Kevin opened to the door to the headquarters.

"Yeah it –" Stevie was about to say when she was interrupted by what she was seeing. Kacey and Zander were embracing each other and Zander was singing. I immediately recognized the lyrics to song. _I knew it! _Stevie thought to herself. She looked over at Kevin and Nelson, who looked confused..

"Aw, how cute" Stevie cooed making Zander and Kasey jump. They looked awkwardly at each other and then at Stevie, who had a devious look on her face. Stevie walked down the stairs and walked towards Zander and Kacey. She looked at them without saying one word.

"What?" Kacey finally asked as Stevie's devious eyes and smirk were boring into her.

"Nothing" Stevie said.

Everything was silent. Kacey was thinking of something to at least try to forget the elephant in the room. "Hey guys" Kacey finally said. "Let's practice for a while then we could all go to mall for pizza, my treat"

"Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!" Kevin and Nelson chanted.

"Your treat? How nice of you." Zander praised Kacey. She gave him a small smile. "Hey guys which songs do you want to rehearse?"

"I'm partial to Last 1 Standing" Stevie said. He looked at Kacey out the corner of his eye who was shaking her head in disapproval.

"We um always practice that song" Zander said. "What about Move With The Crowd and Hey Now?"

"Ok" They agreed.

"Whatever gets us to the pizza faster" Nelson said.

They practiced both songs for about an hour. They finally finished up, put their instruments up and got ready to go. Kevin and Nelson ran out with Kacey following behind them. Zander was putting his stuff back in his bag.

"So I guess I'm driving" Zander said to no one in particular.

He was about to walk out and walk past Stevie when her hand on her shoulder. "What's really going on between you and Kacey" She asked straightforwardly.

Zander sighed. "Nothing is going on Stevie. I promise" Zander said putting his right hand in the air, something they always did when they made a promise to each other.

"Well do you like her?" Stevie asked.

"What's with all the questions?" Zander asked.

"Just answer the question"

"Kacey is great: smart, talented, and very beautiful, but the only thing I feel for her is friendship. Of course I like her, but not in that way" Zander said. At least, he hoped that all he was feeling for her. He was ready to go and put this very weird day behind him.

"Ok, I believe you" Stevie said simply and gathered her things.

"Trust me Stevie, if I ever end up feeling that way about her or any girl, you'd be the first one I'd tell" His statement got a smile out of Stevie. They walked together to Zander's car where the rest were waiting.

* * *

Zander drove to the mall and they all went inside for pizza. Kevin and Nelson made fools of themselves, they all goofed around for a couple of hours, and killed some time walking around the mall. Nelson's mom called and said she needed him at home, so they decided to leave.

He took everyone home in the order their houses came up. He dropped off Stevie first, then Kevin, and then Nelson. It was just him and Kacey left in the car and it wasn't as awkward as Zander expected it to be.

"Can you not drop me off at home?" Kacey requested. "I really don't want to go"

"Ok" Zander said, not wanting to ask any questions. "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know" She said simply.

"I know where" Zander said simply and started to drive.

"Where are you taking me?" Kacey asked.

"You'll see" Zander drove her to an apartment complex. It was dark and looked abandoned.

"What is this Zander?" Kacey asked.

"Don't ask just come with me" They excited the car, he led her up the ladder, and they began climbing the fire escape until they reached the roof top.

"Zander this looks very bad and ominous" Kacey said as Zander helped her to the roof top.

"Yeah I know but look" Zander turned Kacey around to show her the most amazing view of the sunset and the stars that had already begun to show. "I used to come here as a little kid"

"Zander, the sunset looks great from here" Kacey said as Zander and her sat down. "Ok, so you write amazing songs, are in a band, like to watch sunsets, drive, an amazing artist, you can sing very well, are a great, kind person, and he's pretty cute, if I may add. So why aren't girls falling all over themselves to get you?" Zander tried to hide the redness in his cheeks.

"Well, thank you Kacey. Your guess is as good as mine, I guess" Zander said.

"I guess girls at our school are stupid because any one of them would be lucky to have you" Kacey smiled at him.

"So tell me about yourself?" Zander asked.

"What do you mean?" Kasey asked.

"Tell me about the real Kacey Simon" Zander said.

"Oh um she is not as bad as everyone thinks she is. In sixth grade she wanted so much to be popular that she fell into what she thought was the 'in crowd' and they showed her what being popular was all about: buying material things that most others can't afford making you look better in comparison, having such confidence that you think you own everything, acting like the leader so everyone would want to be like you, putting physical appearance above all else, and acting mean towards everyone didn't look the way you wanted them to, and, most importantly, be perfect. So she basically turned into a bitch and the she had the best life and friends in the world. It wasn't until the eleventh grade that she found out how much her "friends" meant to her. She lost those friends when her imperfections started to show. Then this boy, Zander Robbins, I don't know if you know him or not, showed her that those small little things didn't matter and there were people out there that didn't care about being popular. A particular group of people that taught her what true friendship is all about and the characteristics of popularity don't matter. And though I she is trying hard to ditch the "Perf" ways she has come to know. You can take solace in the fact that she is trying and slowly learning that it's not all about Kacey and perfection. So, to tell you the truth, she doesn't know who the real Kacey Simon is just yet, but she is having fun finding out" Kacey explained to Zander. Some of those things she said she wasn't even aware of. She just basically told Zander he was part of the reason she was trying to change.

Zander was speechless at the sincerity of her words. He racked his brain for something to say to her.

"Well, say something" Kacey commanded.

"Wow" Was all he could say.

* * *

**So that's the chapter. I really liked this one and I hope you did to! :)**

**Hated it? Liked it? Loved it? Review please.**

**Special Shoutout:**

**JaylaHeart: I love them too! I get Zevie, but they are too much alike, in a way, for me. I would be cool with if they got togther. Thanks for the review.**

**Awe: Thanks. I hope you like this chapter.**

**To the people that faved, alerted, liked but didn't do either: Thanks so much!**

**~Peace, Zacey, Strawberries~**


	3. Getting To Know Each Other

**Disclaimer: No owning.**

* * *

Getting To Know Each Other

"Wow" Was all he could say. Kacey looked at Zander's smile at her and blushed slightly. She always loved his smile.

"Well your turn" Kacey said to him.

"What?" Zander asked, slightly confused.

"Tell me about yourself, tell me about the real Zander Robbins" Kasey said nudging her in the shoulder.

As Zander pondered what he was going to say he looked over at a waiting Kacey and saw how the setting sunlight captured her eyes. He wasn't going to say it out loud but he thought that her eyes were her best feature, well that and her dimples. "Um, that's kind of a loaded question. I'm not as good as talking about myself as you are. Well, my name is Zander Hunter Robbins" Zander started.

"I knew your middle name was Hunter!" Kacey said.

"You did?"

"Well not exactly Hunter, but you look like a person that would have that kind of middle name, like Hunter or Ryder" Kacey said. "And Zander this isn't 'introduce yourself on the first day of class', you don't have to say your whole name, just tell me about you"

"Just ask me direct questions" Zander told her, not able to think of anything.

"Um, so since you're not from California, where are you from?"

"Brooklyn, New York. Born and lived until I was 3. And after that you know the rest: I moved here and ended up meeting you when I transferred to Brewster in 11th grade" Zander answered.

"Why did you move? By the way, I'm glad that you did" Kacey smiled.

"Oh well I guess I can tell you now that it's safe." Kacey looked at him with a confused look " I'm in the witness protection program. My mom had gotten involved with some dangerous people and saw some things she shouldn't have. Long story short the police had to put us in the witness protection program. My mom's name was changed but mine was not" Zander looked over at a skeptical Kacey, who wasn't buying his story for a second.

"Stop lying Zander" Kacey said with folded arms.

"I'm not lying Kacey" Zander said as he held his head down.

"Are you really serious?" Kacey asked her face softening as if she was starting to believe him.

"Nah, I'm just messing with you!" Zander laughed at his mini-prank.

Kacey laughed and playfully pushed him in the shoulder. "Answer the honestly"

"She moved with her job" zander said "Witness Protection Program…"

"Oh ok" Kacey said. "What made you want to learn how to play the ukulele?

"Oh these are going to be random questions. Wow, um well, I liked the sound of it. It's mellow and you can get nothing but good vibes from listening to the ukulele. I just felt like it fit me so well"

"Aww. That is such a Zander answer"

"Of course it is" Zander said.

Kacey rolled her eyes. "On a scale of one to ten how vain do you think you are?" Kacey asked, intending for it to be a joke.

"What kind of question is that?" Zander looked at Kacey, questioning whether this was a serious question or not.

"A valid one Mr.' I do look good in this mirror'" Kacey said. Zander just looked at her. "Come on Zan-Zan, I'm just joking. I don't think you're vain, just like you don't think I am"

"Eh" Zander said.

"What? You think I'm vain?" Kacey asked.

"Kacey, come on, I love you, you've become one of my best friends, but you can be full of yourself, sometime very" Zander looked at Kacey as she held her head down. She wasn't upset at him, it's not like she's never been told this before but she was working so hard to change her perfy ways. She knew he was just being honest but she felt as if he were telling her that she hadn't been making any progress. Zander grabbed her chin, turning her head so she would look her in the eye. "But when you see that what you've done has hurt someone you immediately turn into the caring person that you are and fix it. You learn your lessons" Zander didn't know it but that gave her the reassurance that she needed.

"Thanks Zander" She simply said.

"No prob" Zander reached into his bag and took out an Oreo cookie brownie, which happened to be one of Kacey favorite snacks.

So Kacey licked her lips hungrily and slightly seductively when Zander looked at her. "So Zander, what you um, got there?"

"Oreo Brownie, I love these things"

"So do I, what a coincidence" Kacey said.

"Well would like a piece?" Zander asked her.

"Well, if you're offering it to me" Zander pulled off half the bar and gave it to her. As she grabbed the bar and began to eat it, Zander became easily distracted. She licked some of the cream from the center before biting it, the proceeding to lick the excess chocolate from her lips and fingers.

Zander's mind was screaming things he definitely couldn't say out loud.

"This is so good" Kacey said, snapping him back to reality. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah" Zander said taking a bite out of his portion.

Zander and Kacey continue to talk and getting to know each other. Neither of them realized how much time was passing. Kacey pulled out her phone and looked at the time and that she had two missed calls from her mom and brother.

"Oh shit! It's 10:30?" Kacey exclaimed.

"Really?" Zander said not realizing the time either.

"Come on" Zander and Kacey climbed down the escape, jumped in Zander's car, and he drove Kacey home.

During the ride home, Kacey straightened out her lie in her mind because the truth was something she couldn't tell her mom.

Zander dropped her off and pulled out of her yard quickly. Zander drove home.

He walked in his mother and his apartment. He knew that his mother would be at work for at least another six hours.

He went upstairs and dropped his jacket on the ground. He got on his computer and received a video chat message from Stevie. He accepted it.

"What up Baskara?" Zander said as Stevie face appeared on the screen.

"So where have you been?" Stevie asked. "You don't ignore my messages unless you're doing something"

"If you must know, I was with Kacey" zander said.

"I already knew that. Kacey told me. Just wanted you to confirm" Stevie said.

"Wait, she did?" Zander asked.

"Yeah. She used me as her cover up. So she just told me, in case her mom was still suspicious and asked me about it" Stevie got that devious look in her eye. "So, what did you do for four hours?"

"Nothing. She didn't want to go home so I took her to that place I told you about and we just sat up there and talked. And lost track of time"

"Oh come on Zander, save those lies for your mother. I am not that stupid. What were you really doing with Kacey?"

"Stevie, I'm not lying were just sitting up there and talking. Two friends who were talking" Zander explained to a skeptical Stevie.

"Are you still trying to give me that 'we're just friends' garbage?" Stevie asked.

"We are. I told you earlier that I don't really like her like that. I love her as a friend and nothing more" Zander tried to convince himself. "The feelings thing, it complicates things"

"Who are you to persuade to believe that: me or you?" Stevie countered.

* * *

Kacey went into her house to find her mother waiting for her.

"Kacey Marie Simon. Where have you been? You were supposed to be home almost two hours ago."

Kacey took a deep breath. "Sorry mom, I was with Stevie. We were studying and goofing around. I lost track of time. Sorry mom" Kacey lied sincerely.

"Alright" He mother simply said.

She wasn't sure if her mom believed her or not but she didn't want to incriminate herself by saying anything further. So she just went upstairs to her room. She closed the door behind her and took out her phone and texted Stevie

_Stevie, I need you to cover for me. If my mom asks I was with you until almost 10:30 and you brought me home._

_**Sure Kace, u know I got u. Where were u really?**_

_I was with Zander._

_**For almost 4 hrs. What were u doing?**_

_I'll tell you tomorrow._

_**Kk.**_

Kacey threw her phone on the bed and took a shower.

After taking a shower, Kacey returned to her room and unwrapped a towel from the now curly mess she called her hair.

She stood in the mirror trying to figure out what to do with it when she heard a beep from her computer.

"Grace?" She question from the video chat message from _PinkSparklePrincess16. _She reluctantly accepted it.

"Hey Grace"

"Hi Kacey, are you going back to way your hair was in 6th grade?" Grace asked the curly haired girl in a hushed voice.

"I don't think so. Why are you whispering?" Kacey asked.

"I don't want Molly to hear. She's downstairs. How are you?"

"I'm… good? How are you?" Kacey didn't what Grace was getting at.

"Good. Just thinking" Grace answered

"About what?" Kacey asked.

She paused for a minute and sighed deeply. "Your friend Nelson… do you know if he's seeing anybody?" Grace asked.

"What? Nelson? No! He doesn't have a girlfriend, as far as I know. Why?" _Why was Nelson asking about Grace?_

"Oh, no reason. I just needed for a… um… survey that I am doing" Grace obviously lied.

"Grace, I know you're lying. So why did you really want to know that?"

"I told a questionnaire" Grace slipped up.

"I thought you said survey?"

"Questionnaire. Survey. Same thing" She said.

"Grace" Kacey said simply and crossed her arms.

"Ok, ok" She sighed again. "I really like Nelson. I have for a long time. I just love how smart he is and how he is so talented. I've heard him play piano a lot. It amazes me every time. He just so funny and cool, at least to me. But he's not a perf. But I wouldn't care if it didn't mean I would be kicked out of the perfs for dating a non. It felt so good to finally tell some all this. But I'm still confused and I don't know what to do. He's my sparkle princess pony" Grace said so fast that Kacey didn't catch all of it.

"Wait, sparkle princess pony?" Kacey asked.

"Oh I took the three greatest words in the English language and gave them to him"

"Wow" Grace was grinning like an idiot. Though Grace was a perf Kacey didn't have anything against her. She knew that Nelson had a huge, unmistaken, undeniable crush on Grace but Nelson would kill her if she told Grace that. And she proved that she wasn't the average perf by helping, especially with the birthday party. _Oh that's why she was so willing to help._ _And the flirting… _

"I gotta go Kacey, I hear someone coming up the stairs" Grace quickly logged off of the video chat. Kacey still found that pretty weird.

Kacey decided she was going to do what she did best: meddle.

* * *

**Eh, this was just a filler chapter, character development.**

**Hated it? Liked it? Loved it? Review, please.**

**Special Shoutouts:**

**Up: Thanks so much. Spoiler Alert: They'll work on becoming closer as friends for a while.**

**jesselyrics: Thanks for the review!**

**Dianadight: Aww! That means so much.**

**musicchick1999: Thanks so much!**

**GinnyBloomPotter: Thanks for the review!**

**StarRose2011: I hope this update makes you happy!**

**~Peace, Zacey, Strawberries~**


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